


A Safe Place For Us

by LaughingLizzie



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Detectives, Missing Persons, One-Sided Attraction, Other, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-03-26 21:10:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13866081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaughingLizzie/pseuds/LaughingLizzie
Summary: A cold case transfers over and detective Sebastian Castellanos and detective Joseph Oda, the pair of them try to warm it up but the lack of evidence brings them back the missing nurses last known sighting, Beacon Mental Hospital.Do the staff know more than they let on?There's something darker going on and there seems to be eyes everywhere.





	1. Chapter 1

Sebastian put out his cigarette on his ashtray watching the smoke rise into the air and linger, the smell of it relaxed him as he went through the mountains of paperwork that laid in front of him. Joseph wasn’t at his desk Sebastian naturally assumed he was at a meeting or working a case. The office seemed strangely humid that day, he felt small beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but there could’ve been a different reason. His chest for some unexplained reason was feeling tight like some sort of apprehension, it almost felt as though he was being watched or something could appear at any moment at any time.

“Sebastian!” A spark of panic shot throughout his body making him jump out of his seat slightly.

He let out a relieved sigh seeing that it was just Joseph.

“Get your ass outta that chair Seb! We’ve got a case.” After he said that Joseph practically ripped open the office door and tumbled out.

Sebastian took his coat off the hook realising that he had no time to put it on he just carried it over his arm. He then quickened his pace to walk alongside Joseph who was racing through the KCPD nearly tripping over everything.

“What have we got?” He was beginning to panic slightly the case could interfere with his drinking. 

“Missing persons case, the higher ups transferred it over to us since it's been cold for the last 8 months.” 

"And they really had to give it to us?"

"I mean we're not the worst and it's not like we've got anything at the moment."

"You're fucking kidding me." Sebastian stated.

"I'm not."

Joseph then handed over the case notes to Sebastian for him to look over. While walking along he took a peek inside only seeing the victims photo, he saw a youthful face staring back at him and eyes full of life, she was in a nurses uniform it looked to Sebastian as if this photo was taken from her jobs ID. 

"Julia Irving? Who reported this?"

Joseph quickly turned to look at Sebastian his face gave away the plain annoyance at the question.

"Christ Seb, just read the details it'll be there I haven't been secretly sitting on this case for weeks and decided today would be the best day to spring it on you."

Joseph seemed to quicken his pace after that, Sebastian was just left following behind him having no idea where they were going.

Stopping in front of their patrol car Sebastian finally had the time to slip on his coat, he'd hardly taken note of Joseph who was already seated and ready to drive off without him impatiently tapping on the steering wheel.

"You can read the report in the car. let's go already!"

Sebastian didn't make a remark, he just did as he was told and read through the report occasionally stating things aloud on the assumption that Joseph didn't read it fully only taking down important notes. 

"So, her place of work filed the report after she didn't show up for several days without warning." 

"What are we doing anyway?" 

Joseph looked over at Sebastian for a moment before putting all his attention on the road.

"I just wanted to get somewhere with this case and I don't think reading through the files will help us get anywhere except basic knowledge.” Sebastian sensed something that didn’t seem right with the reply he received, like somehow Joseph was avoiding the question.

"Seb, do you think this has anything to do with that serial killer in Elk River?" 

He didn't respond hoping the silence would provide enough of an answer. Sebastian looked out the window the city seemed to be an over-abundance of grey making even the tiniest pop of colour stand out and burn your eyes. The outside was seen as a smoggy and dreary wonderland where the depressing fact of reality seemed to hit Sebastian everyday, especially on those days where he didn't drown out reality through a bottle.

The car stopped causing Sebastian to snap back into reality and to take a proper look out the window taking in the location.

Staring at Beacon Mental Hospital was like looking at a gothic Victorian photograph fighting with modern day medical practices. Both detectives started to feel uneasy it was as though the hospital was trying its best to cover up the past with a friendlier entrance way, the entire effect was lost as you looked up at the looming building that seemed to be trapped in a permanent darkness.  

"We're talking to some of her co-workers."

"You think one of them know something?" 

Joseph looked at Sebastian and let out a stressed sigh.

"I'm just trying to get something out of this cold case."  

"Be prepared to work overtime." Sebastian responded gruffly.

"There's something here Seb we just don't know it yet. The outside reflects the inside." 

Sebastian ignored Josephs words and proceeded to the entrance of the ominous building. The stone steps seemed like an entrance to an otherworldly dimension opening the doors the detectives could see nothing but white it was almost like stepping back in time into an old photograph.

 

The inside looked just as imposing as the outside keeping the dreary atmosphere but changing the dark bricks outside to a blinding white throughout the interior. It was haunting. The building looked as though it was holding secrets beyond human comprehension, something deeper behind the walls of the overly clean hospital.

"What do we need to get?"

"Information, just any kind that might nail down some suspects and someone has to know something around here." Joseph held his notebook tightly by his side while marching to the receptionist's desk to talk to a nurse.

Sebastian looked around there was mostly medical staff with a few patients milling around everything in area looked imposing to him, ceilings just a bit too high, the area was too spacious there was a shudder that went down his spine involuntarily before quickly catching up with his partner, who was beginning to make his way deeper into the blinding hospital.

"We're visiting the chief of staff here and if everything goes smoothly with him then hopefully a few of her co-workers will talk to us, there might be something there."

“Do you know where his office is?”

“I got directions from the nurse and there should be a map around here somewhere. We’ll make it there.”

 

Walking silently through the hospital was not the greatest idea. They heard every tiny noise both detectives walked with apprehension in their steps waiting at any moment for the situation to turn sour.

The brass plaque stationed on the door gave the detectives a pretty good idea as to who was behind it.

'Dr. Marcelo Jimenez.'

There were voices behind it, one seemed more frantic than the other perhaps he was in a meeting with of of his patients? Or maybe he was in a heated debate with another member of staff.

Sebastian knocked it was a louder knock than he expected.

“Trying to break down the door?” Joseph asked a sly smile clear across his face.

“Do you think we could get a warrant or something to check through the staff files?”

Joseph started to form an answer, before the door quickly swung open revealing a doctor, his head bowed down looking at some notes chewing on the cap of a pen. Sebastian noted a strange sheen to his face almost as if plastic was covering half of it. The young looking stared at Sebastian and stared right into his eyes, there seemed to be a spark of passion behind them, other then that there was nothing, they looked dead devoid of any feeling then a sick smile spread across his lips, Sebastian suppressed the urge to slap him in the face to stop the man from smiling.  

Joseph gave an awkward smile before the man turned in disgust and walked down the hallway.

An older looking man then came to the door, he looked professional; lab coat, glasses he looked in a way like every doctor Sebastian ever imagined. He looked at them in surprise.

“Sorry, I wasn’t aware that you were right there. I’m Dr. Marcelo Jimenez the chief of staff here at Beacon.”

Sebastian was the first to speak up taking his hand and giving it a quick friendly shake.

“Right, well I’m detective Sebastian Castellanos and this is my partner.”

He indicated where Joseph was standing before he took the doctors hand.

“Detective Joseph Oda.” He said finishing the handshake.

“We would like to ask you a few questions about one of your employees that went missing a few months back, Julia Irving.”

Dr. Jimenez's’ posture immediately stiffened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check me out on Tumblr.
> 
> [Here.](https://the-beasthq.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

“Perhaps this discussion would be better suited in my office.”

He waved his hand signalling for the two detectives to walk inside, they followed the doctor as he took a seat behind his desk. Joseph was ready as soon as he stepped in the office to take notes. The office though lacked any kind of personality, perhaps it was to keep the patients docile during sessions, or to keep from forming any kind of personal attachment to the doctor. They both took their seats, Jimenez looked like an imposing figure behind the desk, cold and calculating, ready to diagnose within a moment’s notice.

“What can you tell me about her?” Joseph was ready to question the doctor, being the hardworking man he was, he wanted to find anything they could possibly latch onto as a clue without having to resort to drastic or violent measures.

“She’s a good worker, we never expected this sort of thing to happen to her. Poor girl.”

“Do you know anything about her family? Their whereabouts, or how in any way we can contact them.”

“We’ve tried getting into contact with them, but we haven’t heard anything back.”

Joseph began scribbling in his book, it was an indication that Sebastian should start asking the questions, which he wanted nothing more than to get it over with as quickly as humanly possible, the doctor seemed to have the same attitude, giving blunt answers and his finger tapping impatiently on the desk.

“Do you think anybody here that might’ve done something to her?”

“As far as I’m concerned, Ms. Irving was well liked among the staff, some minor altercations, but every job comes with that. Especially if it’s a very demanding job like this one.”

Dr. Jimenez leaned back in his chair relaxing his posture a little, his eyes though seemed to be avoiding the detectives gaze looking over Sebastian' shoulder as to keep up a façade.

“Who was the person you were arguing with?” He changed the line of questioning, the man that left Jimenez' office seemed as though he was keeping secrets.  

He then looked Sebastian dead in his eyes, the stare seemed haunted almost unblinking, it reminded Sebastian of a frightened animal.

“That was Dr. Ruben Victoriano. Are you accusing him of something, detective?” He lowered his voice on the last word.

Sebastian shook his head swiftly, and gave the doctor an intimidating look back, trying to affirm some sort of control.

“No, it was just he left the room seeming pretty upset.”

Dr. Jimenez let out an amused huff, “it was merely a disagreement with some treatments, Dr. Victoriano can be stubborn in his methods.”

“And what methods would those be?” Joseph leaned in further to try and hear all the doctors’ words as soon as they left his mouth.

“He deals with a more... Pharmacological approach when dealing with patients.” He tensed up slightly, like he was imagining the practice and it made him physically ill.

“And that caused a kind of conflict of interest?” Joseph spoke up behind his notebook.

“I guess you could say that, yes.” As he was talking he leaned his upper body towards the desk, his eyes hardened creating a front that could not be easily broken through. The man was hiding something.

“Let’s not discuss this. There’s a young woman missing, and if you’re suspecting Dr. Victoriano you’d have to question him.” He changed the topic so quickly it took Sebastian back a little.  

“Is there anyone else here who might be willing to talk?”

Joseph looked up from his notes, “don’t worry about that, there’s some notes in the file report on co-workers, we can follow up with them.” Sebastian felt internal relief the doctor seemed to avoid every question or just gave a blunt answer.

Both detectives then stood up.

“Thank you for your input Dr. Jimenez, we’ll contact you if any further assistance is needed.”

The doctor stayed behind his desk watching closely as the two detectives left the room. After they shut the door he hung his head exhausted then quickly went back to work, in the attempt to maintain his ignorance.

“He knows something, and that something is big if his behaviour stood for anything.” Joseph stated as he looked down at his notebook making new notes.

“Maybe they’re getting budget cuts, let’s not dwell too much on him. Do we have the time to question anyone else?” Mostly Sebastian wanted to leave the hospital the whole area just seemed eerie, like everything seemed too pristine, combining the fact he couldn't give into his cravings was putting him especially on edge.

Joseph was still scribbling in new notes when he suddenly looked at Sebastian and snapped his book shut, “we have time. Itching for a drink? Honestly Sebastian I’d thought you’d have a flask on your person, or is office drinking more satisfying?”

“We’re not talking about this now.” He practically growled out the response.   

“I want this case figured out Seb, and you’re drinking habit isn’t interfering with it. There’s a missing girl and no one seems to care, even when Jimenez mentioned it he seemed almost indifferent to the thought, he just wanted to change the topic,” Joseph pushed up his glasses and stared at Sebastian directly in his eye, “now, that doctor seems to know more than he’s letting on and he’s not talking to us, and the other doctor he mentioned almost certainly knows something, but from what we saw of him he doesn’t seem willing to talk. Best chances are her fellow nurse’s might actually help us.”

“You have their names?”

“All written down, we just need to find them and in this maze, that might take some time. If this is interfering with your drunk habits, I think you should just leave now because this will take quite some time.”

The two of them stood there in the hallway. Sebastian took what Joseph said seriously, there was meaning to his words. He sighed in defeat and spoke up.

“I thought you said there were maps.”

“I’d have to find the maps first.” They both knew that finding their way around the hospital was going to take longer without the help of a map. Even if Joseph thought this approach was helpful for Sebastian’s problem, he was still getting a fist in his face.

Sebastian looked at Joseph ready to give a smart-ass response, “didn’t take notes of the layout? Really Jojo? I would’ve thought you made a full map already.”

“Shut up.” The nickname might've struck a nerve.

~~~~**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

They were lost. If there was one thing Joseph couldn’t do in Sebastian’s opinion, it would be creating a linear path through Beacon, even if he led them to different wards the settings all looked the same, they couldn’t differentiate them.

“Do you think they’ve thought of any other colour other than clinical white.”

“Apparently not.”

“Maybe we’ll put in an anonymous tip.”

“Have you seen anyone that knew the victim?”

“We’ve got names not photos meaning we’ll actually have to talk to people.”

"For fucks sake. Couldn't make this any easier." The stress had Sebastian craving for a cigarette, the taste on his lips, it would take him out of reality and into his own calm existence where nothing mattered.

“Fuck this, this bullshit is just god damn inconvenient now, might as well start making our own notes, they’d be more useful than the shit already recorded.”

As Sebastian’s rant turned into frustrated breathing, Joseph picked up on a small sound, he could make it out as someone talking most likely female. Then the sound of footsteps, it sounded as though every step was faster than the last the closer, it got to the point of it sounding like this person was running. Before Joseph could say something the figure of a nurse stood before him half exhausted, Sebastian looked in shock as if he didn’t even notice her before-hand.

The nurse gave them an apologetic smile, “sorry about that spook, I just heard voices and assumed the worst. And well I was looking for someone, I'm giving away too much information,” she then started looking over their shoulders moving around them in small awkward steps, “you two are detectives, right?” The woman asked. She wasn't looking at them instead she was staring down the hall as if she was expecting something.

“You want something from us?” Sebastian’ response was quick and sharp.

She looked at Sebastian she gave a slight look of surprise at what he just said as if not expecting him to be so blunt, “ah- no, I just was..." She took a breath as she made an attempt to explain herself "Dr. Victoriano, he gets annoyed easily and well he got mad at me. And the he said something about a pair of detectives, he actually went into a small rant about how one of you distracted him from his precious notes. I swear guy never looks up from them.”

Sebastian felt his stomach drop as he remember the look the doctor gave him, Joseph sensing his feeling of dread looked at him with a reassuring smile.

“I- ah, no I’m sorry. I’m suppose to introduce myself and ask if you need help. So, I’m Lucy Martins, a nurse here and you both look lost, are you looking for anyone around here, or a location?”

“Nothing specific. We’re just wondering around.” Sebastian answered.

She looked at them sceptically, “this isn’t a store detective, you’ll have to be more specific, but still you look pretty lost just walk behind me for a bit and maybe you won't die here.” She started walking down the hallway, with a slight bounce in her step.

“Great. We’re terrible at this.” Joseph sighed in defeat.

A dramatic sigh could be heard by the detectives, “are you following me or not? Or am I leading the ghosts to new haunting grounds.”

Both looked at each other, shrugged and hesitantly followed behind the nurse.

"Who are you looking for anyway?" Joseph tried to make an attempt at a friendly conversation.

"A patient, I look away for a second and he wonders off and it's always a chore to find him," she quickly stopped herself from giving away anymore information about the patient she was talking about, "so what brings you two here?"

 "We're questioning some people about a missing person."

Both detectives could hear her sigh sadly, her walk losing the energy she had started off with. 

"Shit, there's another one?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! I can't believe I've done two now. 
> 
> You can follow me on Tumblr here.


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